Force-feeding: Police to file ATR on plea against Shiv Sena MP

NEW DELHI: A court here today directed the Delhi Police to file an action taken report (ATR) on a complaint seeking lodging of FIR against Shiv Sena MP Rajan Vichare for allegedly force-feeding an IRCTC employee who was on fast during Ramzan at Maharashtra Sadan.

Metropolitan Magistrate Akash Jain asked the police to file the ATR on September 10 on the complaint filed by social worker Kamran Siddiqui.

During the brief hearing, the court asked Siddiqui as to why he has filed this complaint when the alleged victim, who was purportedly force fed by the Shiv Sena MP, has not come forward.

"What injury has been caused to you? When the alleged victim has not come forward then why are you filing this complaint?" the magistrate asked the complainant.

Responding to this, Siddiqui and his lawyers Kamran Malik and Vishal Sinha told the court that they are public spirited persons and they have filed various PILs and complaints on several issues.

They also told the court that the alleged victim is a contractual employee and he cannot file complaint on this issue.

The court, however, said that it was calling for an ATR from the police on the complaint on the next date of hearing.

The complaint has sought filing of an FIR against Vichare under various IPC sections including 153 A (promoting enmity between classes), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraining any person) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

Earlier, the complainant's counsel had alleged that Vichare's act was not acceptable in a civilised society and that they had moved the Delhi High Court with a complaint on August 1 but it asked them to approach the trial court for appropriate legal remedy.

The counsel had told the court that they had filed a complaint in this regard before Delhi Police but no action has been taken.

The complainant has alleged that Vichare had "deliberately targeted the Muslim canteen worker in front of media and TV channel crew with camera to ensure wide coverage of his action with intention to hurt religious sentiments...."

The plea claimed that the Shiv Sena MP "tried to provoke breach of peace and harmed communal harmony while promoting enmity between different groups on the ground of religion and region".

It also alleged that on July 17 at the new Maharashtra Sadan here, Vichare and his associates wrongfully restrained, assaulted, criminally intimidated and used criminal force to feed 'chapati' to the canteen employee.

It sought the court's direction to the police to lodge an FIR in the case and take appropriate action against the accused.

Shiv Sena had earlier defended Vichare and his associates saying they did not know that the canteen employee was a Muslim and was observing Ramzan fast. The party had clarified that Vichare and others were irked over poor quality of food being served in the canteen.